A man accused of shouting anti-India slogans, including “Pakistan Zindabad,” has been granted bail by the Madhya Pradesh High Court under a unique condition: he must salute the Indian national flag 21 times, twice a month, while chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”
The accused, Faizan, was arrested following a First Information Report (FIR) filed on May 17, alleging that he shouted “Pakistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad” (Long live Pakistan, Death to India). Prosecutors argued that his actions were intended to “promote enmity between different groups” and posed a threat to national harmony.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Paliwal, presiding over the case, imposed several conditions as part of Faizan’s bail. He must report to the local police station twice a month—on the first and fourth Tuesday—and salute the national flag 21 times, raising the slogan “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” (Long live Mother India) during each visit. This condition has been formally incorporated into his bail papers.
In addition to this requirement, Faizan’s bail bond was set at ₹50,000 (approximately $600). He is also required to mark his presence at the police station between 10 a.m. and noon on the designated Tuesdays until his trial concludes.
The trial revealed an overloaded Forensic Cyber Lab in Bhopal, with 3,400 pending cases and only four staff members, as testified by Ashok Khalko, Director of the Forensic Cyber Cell. The court subsequently directed the state government to provide additional staff to expedite the examination process.
Faizan’s lawyer, Hakim Khan, claimed that his client was falsely implicated, though he acknowledged that Faizan appeared in a video shouting the slogans. Meanwhile, government advocate CK Mishra described Faizan as a habitual offender with 14 criminal cases against him, remarking, “He is openly shouting slogans against the country in which he is born and brought up. If he is not happy and satisfied in this nation, he may opt to live in the country of his choice for which he raised the slogan of zindabad.”
The court’s decision and unique bail conditions have sparked public attention, underscoring the balance between legal punishment and patriotic reparation.
